Bangor detective honored for polygraph work

BANGOR, Maine — Just about every week someone is given a lie detector test at the Bangor police station, and most of the time Detective Timothy Cotton is the one running the test, Sgt. Paul Edwards said Monday.

“As the AAPP Region III Director, I am proud and honored to give the 2011 Regional Director’s Award to Detective Cotton,” Lt. James Wardwell of the New Britain (Conn.) Police Department said in his notification letter to Bangor police.

The regional director’s award is given to officers who contribute to significant cases by use of the polygraph, Edwards said.

Cotton was chosen for “outstanding case work in which he utilized polygraph to assist in significant criminal investigations,” the sergeant said in a statement. “Detective Cotton has repeatedly demonstrated a high level of expertise and professionalism in the application of polygraph and continues to assist local law enforcement in many criminal investigations.”

Wardwell described Cotton as a skilled investigator who is good at conducting lie detector tests to help solve crimes.

“It is certain Detective Cotton will continue to assist in criminal investigations utilizing the level of excellence he has achieved in the use of polygraph,” he said.